Miniature barber chair sells at $42,000 clip in VCA auction

LAS VEGAS – Proving a continued demand for “not the things people need, but the things they want,” Victorian Casino Antiques hosted another fast-paced, fun auction inside its Las Vegas showroom May 2-4, where 2,500 live and remote bidders competed to lay claim to more than 1,800 antique radios, slot machines, arcade games, gas and oil collectibles, advertising art and more. The sale totaled $1 million. LiveAuctioneers.com provided Internet live bidding.

The highlight of the three-day event was the intense bidding for an exceptional salesman’s sample barber chair manufactured by Theo A. Kochs of Chicago. This beautiful, fully detailed scale model sold for $42,000 to the top bidder.

Another standout item that attracted serious attention during “3 Days in May” was a five-cent Victor Novelty Works cast-iron tabletop gambling machine from approximately 1907. The rare coin-op – only two or three are known to exist today – commanded more than $32,000 at the auction.

Along with other gambling machines such as the 1939 five-cent O.D. Jennings escalator bell slot that sold for $4,200, vintage advertising art and displays also continued to be popular among bidders. A classic Pepsi-Cola metal floor display rack for bottle cartons – including 13 early six-pack carriers – achieved $15,000. A surprisingly intact Eveready batteries store display with moving parts sold for $5,700, and a rare Harley Davidson Motorcycles 5-gallon motor oil can brought $6,000.

Among the more than 500 lots of antique toys up for bid were some excellent specimens such as a French-made, 21-inch Alfa Romeo pressed-steel race car that hammered at $4,800 and a 22-inch German Guntherman “Silver Bullet” tin windup race car that sold for $2,400.

Proving that not even an auction is over until the fat lady sings, a buxom, life-size, animatronic talking “Laffing Sal” carnival figure closed out the weekend by singing all the way to the bank to the tune of $9,775.

VCA recently acquired the William A. Harrah Antique Gambling Machine Collection, which features one of the largest concentrations of upright single- and double-wheel slot machines in the world. This unique assemblage of vintage trade stimulators, floor consoles and assorted memorabilia from Harrah’s world-famous casinos – totaling more than 75 pieces – will be up for bid at VCA’s next multi-day auction event, taking place at the Las Vegas showroom Oct. 10-12.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

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